Closure for material dispensing device



Jan. 21, 1964 A. E. EsTABRooK cLosuRE FOR MATERIAL DISPENSING DEVICEFiled Oct. 14. 1960 'umn 11W/Ille INVENTOR. zzw? f. 55 df'oo ilniteddtates Patent Oiilice Pratented eian. 21, 19d@ 3,118,577 CJCURE FRll/TERL DISPENSE-IG DEVICE Alton E. Esabroolr, 6i Rugby Road, Euiaio,Nfl?. Filed Ust. i4, i960, Ser. No. 62,725 2 Claims. (Ci. 222-511) Thisinvention relates to material dispensing devices, and more particularlyto a new and improved closure therefor incorporating self-closingmovable valve means.

rhe inventive closure is particularly adapted for use in dispensingsolid material in granular form such as condiments like salt and pepper.However, such closure can also be used for dispensing particulate solidmaterial, such as tablets or pills, and even liquids, if desired.

A primary object of the invention is to provide such a closureincorporating self-closing movable valve means which is both deformablefor opening the material dispensing device and recoverable forautomatically closing such device.

Another object is to provide such a closure which is economical tomanufacture, simple in construction, and easy to assemble anddisassemble, as well as most eective in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upona consideration of the description and drawings wherein:

FiG. l is a vertical elevational view, partly in section, of a materialdispensing device in the form of a combined salt and pepper shaker, ateach end of which is located a preferred embodiment of the inventiveclosure and self-closing movable valve means incorporated therein; thevalve means being shown in its outermost position, closing thedispensing device;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view similar lto FIG. 1, but illustratingthe valve means in its innermost position, opening the dispensingdevice;

FiG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4 4 of FiG. l;

FiG. 5 kis a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2, and

EEG. 6 is a perspective view of the self-closing valve means shown inFIGS. 1 5.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly FiG. l, a suitable materialdispensing device in the form of a cornbined salt and pepper shaker isgenerally indicated at lil. The device is divided into an uppercompartment li for containing salt for example, and `a lower compartmentila suitable for containing pepper. These compartments are divided attheir inner ends by a transverse dividing wall l2. While the dispensingdevice lil may take any desired shape, it is preferred that it take theform similar to an hour glass, and that it be generally circular incross section. it is also preferred that the divided compartments of thedispensing device be molded in one piece from suitable plastic materialsuch as polyethylene, polystyrene or an acrylic resin (Lucite), or fromglass, if desired.

At their open ends, each compartment is also preferably provided with aperipherd notch opening in the same direction as the open end. ln thedrawing, the notch at the upper end is designated as 13, and at thelower end as i341. Likewise, at their open ends, each compartment isprovided with a closure, the upper closure being designated as 14 andthe lower closure as lila. lnasrnuch as these closures ld and 14a, eachof which constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention, areidentical, a description of the upper closure 14 will suiiice for both.

The closure id is preferably composed of a lower or inner circularcup-shaped element l5, `an upper or outer circular disk-shaped element16, and an intermediate, self-closing, movable valve element i7. Each ofthese elements is preferably molded in one piece from suitable plasticmaterial such as used for the compartments. However, while elements l5and 16 could be made from glass, the preferred material is polyethylene,which is the most resilient of the plastic materials mentioned, toinsure a tight iit between ele-ment 15 and compartment i4 as well asbetween elements 15 and i6. As for the valve element i7, glass is notsuitable because too rigid, and once again, the preferred plasticmaterial is polyethylene, to insure not only sufficient deformation butalso rapid recovery of the valve element, for proper operation thereof,as will be described in detail below.

As best seen in FIGS. l, 2, 4 and 5, the lower cupshaped element 15 ispreferably composed of an upstanding peripheral rim portion i8 and aflat transverse wall portion 2t?. The peripheral rim portion 18 isdesigned to lit snugly within the open end of compartment 1l and ispreferably provided with an outstanding peripheral ilange 2i which restsupon the open end of the compartment. The peripheral rim portion 18 isalso provided with an internal annular shoulder 22, the purpose of whichwill be described below, and a peripheral notch 23 extendingtransversely through the peripheral rim portion including shoulder 22and opening upwardly.

The transverse wall portion 26 is preferably provided with tworelatively small and centrally located through openings 24 which arecommunicable with the interior of the material containing compartmentil. In addition, the ransverse Wall portion 20 is preferably providedwith a pair of spaced and diametrically opposed guides 25. Each guide ispreferably in the `form of a circular segment, the free ends of whichare ilattened and coplanar, and their function will be described indetail below.

The second element i6 in closure i4 is preferably in the form of acircular disk which rests upon the upper face of the internal shoulder22 provided in the cupshaped element 15. This disk-shaped element 16 isalso provided with an enlarged central through opening 26 which iscommunicable with the smaller openings 24 in the cup-shaped element l5and the interior of compartment il. In addition, as best seen in FIG. 3,the diskshaped element i6 is preferably provided with an arcuateperipheral recess 27 to facilitate insertion and removal of the elementwhich lits snugly in the cup-shaped element on shoulder 22 therein.

Referring now to FiGS. 4 6, the closure i4 is conipleted by theintermediate valve element i7 arranged between elements l5 and i6. Thiselement i7 is generally flat and elongated, and is preferably composedof an enlarged, generally rectangular central body portion 23 which isarranged to cover and uncover openings Z4 and is provided with anenlarged and generally D-shaped through opening 311i of intermediatesize, i.e. smaller than opening 26 and larger than openings 24. As bestseen in FIGS. 1 3, opening Sil is always in communication with opening26, but is movable into and out of communication with openings 24 toestablish and prevent respectively communication between openings 24 andopening 26. Returning to FIGS. 4 6, the central body portion 28terminates at its outer end in a reduced linger pressureoperated portion3l which extends through the notches i3, 23 in compartment li andcup-shaped element l5, respectively. The junctures of the central bodyportion ZS and linger operated portion 3l are preferably in the form ofoutwardly convex arcuate shoulders 32 which, in the closed position, areadapted to engage the inner face of shoulder 2?. in cup-shaped elementl5, as shown in FIG. 4.

The .tbody portion 2S of valve element l7 also preferably includes atapered inner end 33 formed by inwardly converging surfaces 34, and thevalve element i completed by an elongated and resilient transverse wingportion co-planar with body portion 2S and generally indicated at 35.This wing portion preferably is composed of a pair of arcuate segments35 curved concavely toward and merging at their inner ends with innerend 33, but projecting laterally beyond the sides of the enlargedcentral body portion 28 of the valve element in spaced relation to theconvergin7 surfaces 34 of tapered end 33. These wing segments 3d arealso provided with inwardly converging `arcuate outer ends 37 whichengage the inner face of the peripheral rim portion 22 in the cupshapedelement l5, when valve element 17 is closed, as best seen in 4.

ln assembling the closure 14, the valve element i7 is first inser-tedinto the cup-shaped element 15, the inger operated portion 31 readilytting within notch 23, the enlarged central body portion 28 lfittingbetween guides 25, and the outer ends 37 of the wing segments 36engaging the inner face of shoulder 22. Next, it is but a simple matterto snap the disk-shaped element or cover 16 into the cup-shaped element1S, the former resting upon the upper face or shoulder 22 and permittingendwise reciprocation of the elongated valve element i7 along the guides25.

ln assembling the closure i4 with the compartment ll of the dispensingdevice dll, the cup-shaped element l is inserted within the open end ofthe compartment, care being taken to ins-ure that the slot 23 in thecup-shaped element l5 and slot 13 in compartment l are alined to permitinsertion of the linger operated portion 3l into notch i3. The depth towhich the cup-shaped element l5 is inserted, is determined by theoutstanding flange 2l which rests upon the outer end of compartment ll,and to insure a snug it between the closure 14 and the compartment 111,the outer diameter of the downwardly and inwardly tapered peripheral rimportion 1S is preferably made either the same or slightly larger thanthe internal diameter of the downwardly and inwardly open end ofcompartment ll, depending upon the material employed for each.

[in operating the closure '14 to control the flow of material fromcompartment lil, the valve element ll7 is reciprocated endwise in asubstantially straight line trans versely of compartment ll from theclosed position or FIG. 4 to the open position of HG. 5 and vice versa.This is easily accomplished by manually applying linger pressure to theouter end of the reduced portion 3l, the movement of the valve elementi7 in the direction of tapered end 33 being controlled by the guides 25on each side of the valve element. To permit such inward transverseopening movement of the valve element E7, as shown in EEG. 5, the wingsegments 36 are readily deformable transversely toward the tapered innerend 33 of the valve element, and when completely deformed, these wingsegments generally conform to the circular inner face of shoulder 22 inthe cup-shaped element i5. ln this open position, the body portionuncovers open ings Zd, the enlarged central opening 39 within the valveelement being moved into registry with the enlarged opening 26 in thedisk-shaped cover element lo and into communication with the smalleropenings 24 in the cupsnaped element l5. Thus, communication isestablished Ybetween openings 2d and each of openings 2,6 and 3a?, as

well as between such openings and the interior of compartment Ell forpermitting `dispensing of the material therein.

To closeY the dispensing device, the finger pressure is simply releasedfrom portion 3l of valve element i7, and immediately, the previouslyVdeformed, resilient wing seg-V ments 3d, which act like springs, recoverand automatically canse closingmovement of the valve element outwardlyVin vrthe opposite direction, thereby preventing conimunication betweenopenings 2d and opening 26, as body portion 2S covers openings 24 andopening Sil moves out of communication with openings 24. As a result,the dispensing device lli is automatically and rapidly closed,

IIt will be noted `from an examination of FGS. 4 and 5, that theD-shaped opening 3l) in -valve element E7 not only facilitates quickopening, but also rapid closing of the closure 14. The flat Side of theD-shaped opening, which side is preferably located and crosses at aboutthe center of valve body portion 28 and faces tapered end 33, serves toopen and close both openings 24 rapidly and uniformly in the initialstages of the inward and outward motion of the valve element. This makesfor effective control of the dispensing and shut-oil operations. lnaddition, from an examination of FlG. 2, it will be noted that thedispensing openings gradually increase in size from element l5 on up.This feature also facilitates dispensing of the material and togetherwith the close lit between elements l5', le and i7 effectively en-.sures continued proper operation of the valve element by preventinglodging of the material, e.g. grains of salt, between such elements.

lit will now be seen how the invention accomplishes its various objects,and the advantages adherent in the invention will be apparent. lt is tobe especially noted that the only movin(T part in the invention closureis the valve element, and that this element is constructed in such amanner as to be self-closing. `lvl'oreover, it will be noted that theone piece molded construction of not only the movable valve element, butalso of the cup and dish-shaped elements, 'makes not only for economicalmanufacture, and ease of assembly and disassembly of the closure, butalso for most effective operation thereof.

While this invention has been described and illustrated herein withreference to only a single, preferred embodiment, it is to be understoodthat various changes and modilications may be made in the invention bythose skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of theinvention, the scope of which is to be deterrm'ned by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A closure for a material dispensing device and comprising:

(a) a valve housing including an inner substantially cup-shaped elementhaving a peripheral rim portion and a transverse wall portion providedwith aV rst through opening, and

(b) an outer, substantially disloshaped element secured within saidperipheral rim portion in spaced, substantially parallel relation withsaid transverse wall portion and provided with a second through openingcommunicable with said iirst openinggand (c) a one-piece, substantiallyilat and elonga ed, sellclosing valve element arranged between saidinner and outer elements and reciprocable endwise in said housing, eachof said inner, outer and valve elements being formed of plasticmaterial, Vand said valve element being formed of resilient plasticmaterial such as polyethylene,

(d) said valve element including the following portions arrangedentirely between said inner and outer elements, a body portion arrangedto cover and uncover said rst opening and having a tapered end, andco-planar with said body portion,

(e) an elongated resilient transverse wing portion merging with saidtapered end and projecting laterally beyond the sides of said bodyportion in spaced relation to said tapered end and engageable with the,interior or said peripheral rim portion, i

(f) said wing portion being deformable transverselyv toward saidtaperedend to permit opening move-- ment of said valve element in thedirection or" saidl tapered end to uncover said iirst opening and establish communication between said iirst and second. openings, and Y g)recoverable `for automatically causing closing movement of said valveelement in the opposite direction to cover said iirst opening andprevent communication between said first and second openings.

2. A closure for a material dispensing device and comprising:

(a) a valve housing including an inner substantially cup-shaped elementhaving a peripheral rim portion and a substantially at transverse wallportion provided with a first through opening, and

(b) an outer, substantially dish-shaped element secured .viti in saidperipheral rim portion in spaced, substantially parallel relation withsaid transverse Wall portion and provided with a second through openinglarger than and communicable with said iirst opening; and

(c) a one-piece, substantially iiat and elongated, selfclosing valveelement arranged between said inner and outer elements and reciprocableendwise in said housing,

(d) each of said inner, outer and Valve elements being formed of plasticmaterial, and said valve element being formed of resilient plasticmaterial such as polyethylene,

(e) said valve element includ-ing the following portions arrangedentirely between said inner and outer elements, a body portion arrangedto cover and uncover said iirst opening, and co-planar with said bodyportion,

(f) an elongated resilient transverse wing portion,

(g) said body portion having a tapered end and a third, generally-shaped through opening of intermediate size arranged intermediate itsends with the iiat side of said third D-shaped opening facing saidtapered end,

(lz) said third opening being movable into and out of communication withsaid first opening to establish and prevent respectively communicationbetween said rst and second openings,

(i) said wing portion including a pair of arcuate segments concavelycurved toward and merging at their inner ends with said tapered end butprojecting lateraily beyond the sides of said body portion in spacedrelation to said tapered end and engageable with the interior of saidperipheral rim portion,

y(j) said segments being deformable transversely toward said tapered endfor permitting opening movement of said valve element in the directionof said tapered end to uncover said rst opening and establlshcommunication between said iirst opening and each of said second andthird openings, and

(ic) recoverable for automatically causing closing movement of saidvalve element in the opposite direction to cover said iirst opening andprevent communication between said first opening and each of said secondand third openings.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 823,381Williamson et al June l2, 1906 1,627,781 Kendall May 10, 1927 1,737,014Lindgren Nov. 26, 1929 1,989,049 Gainer Nov. 6, 1934 2,600,818 Bom ergerMay 7, 19135 2,971,680 Wilson et al Feb. 14, 1961

1. A CLOSURE FOR A MATERIAL DISPENSING DEVICE AND COMPRISING: (A) AVALVE HOUSING INCLUDING AN INNER SUBSTANTIALLY CUP-SHAPED ELEMENT HAVINGA PERIPHERAL RIM PORTION AND A TRANSVERSE WALL PORTION PROVIDED WITH AFIRST THROUGH OPENING, AND (B) AN OUTER, SUBSTANTIALLY DISK-SHAPEDELEMENT SECURED WITHIN SAID PERIPHERAL RIM PORTION IN SPACED,SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATION WITH SAID TRANSVERSE WALL PORTION ANDPROVIDED WITH A SECOND THROUGH OPENING COMMUNICABLE WITH SAID FIRSTOPENING; AND (C) A ONE-PIECE, SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND ELONGATED,SELFCLOSING VALVE ELEMENT ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER ELEMENTSAND RECIPROCABLE ENDWISE IN SAID HOUSING, EACH OF SAID INNER, OUTER ANDVALVE ELEMENTS BEING FORMED OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, AND SAID VALVE ELEMENTBEING FORMED OF RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIAL SUCH AS POLYETHYLENE, (D)SAID VALVE ELEMENT INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING PORTIONS ARRANGED ENTIRELYBETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER ELEMENTS, A BODY PORTION ARRANGED TO COVERAND UNCOVER SAID FIRST OPENING AND HAVING A TAPERED END, AND CO-PLANARWITH SAID BODY PORTION, (E) AN ELONGATED RESILIENT TRANSVERSE WINGPORTION MERGING WITH SAID TAPERED END AND PROJECTING LATERALLY BEYONDTHE SIDES OF SAID BODY PORTION IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID TAPERED ENDAND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID PERIPHERAL RIM PORTION, (F)SAID WING PORTION BEING DEFORMABLE TRANSVERSELY TOWARD SAID TAPERED ENDTO PERMIT OPENING MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVE ELEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OFSAID TAPERED END TO UNCOVER SAID FIRST OPENING AND ESTABLISHCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS, AND (G)RECOVERABLE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CAUSING CLOSING MOVEMENT OF SAID VALVEELEMENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO COVER SAID FIRST OPENING ANDPREVENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND OPENINGS.